“Remember Pearl Harbor: American and Japanese Survivors Tell Their Stories”
by Thomas B. Allen.
National Geographic Society, Washington D.C., 2002, 56 pages, Grades 4-6.
War is a horrible thing. Greed, excessive nationalism and the desire to conquer nearby countries often lead to war. Sometimes a country must defend itself against an aggressor. This leads to a breakdown in diplomatic relations and results in the start of war.
World War II began for many reasons and was the most destructive conflict in the history of mankind. While Japan began waging war with China in the 1930s, the United States felt secure in its isolation from the conflagration. This will come to a violent end with the aerial bombardment of the United States Pacific Fleet in Pearl Harbor Dec. 7, 1941. Thomas Allen writes an authoritative account of the events leading up to the attack and the entrance of the United States into World War II.
Japan aggressively attacks China in the early 1930s. Having no petroleum reserves, Japan imports aviation fuel and other war supplies from the United States. But as the atrocities committed by the Japanese military forces in China become known, the United States imposes an embargo on many products used by Japan against China. One of the major embargoed supplies is aviation fuel. This begins to lead to a breakdown in relations between the United States and Japan.
Rather than stop their brutal attack on China, the Japanese military leaders decide to attack the United States Pacific Fleet stationed at Pearl Harbor. The belief is that a crippling blow to the American Pacific Fleet will cause the United States to negotiate a truce with Japan, allowing them to continue their war of conquest in Asia. With this, a carrier attack fleet is organized and trained for a surprise attack on the Hawaiian military installation.
The United States is aware of an impending attack but is unable to say where the military strike will occur. Things quickly become clear. Before the raid, Japanese midget submarines are sunk outside Pearl Harbor. American radar actually tracks the incoming waves of Japanese planes. All of the American planes are lined up, wingtip to wingtip, on the runways.
In what can only be described as being clueless to the signs on the morning of Dec. 7, 1941, the Pacific Fleet is torpedoed and bombed and most of the American planes are destroyed. The only fortunate thing that happened for the United States is that its three aircraft carriers were not in the harbor that morning.
Allen uses first-hand accounts of Japanese pilots and American soldiers and sailors. Their statements about the attack give an immediacy and power to the text. The author expertly places important photographs throughout the book. The damage to the American Pacific Fleet is unimaginable.
The text in the book is readable and accurate. Allen uses both Japanese and American accounts to explain the battle. Students wanting to know more about the Pearl Harbor raid should go to the library and check out this book.
Allen’s concluding thoughts on how war can be avoided are worth our consideration. Highly recommended.
